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DI:Personality
Tulasidas
Introduction
The great poet who composed the 'Ramacharita manasa'. His boyhood was one of poverty and
suffering; but yet he became a great scholar. One word spoken by his wife brought him a
realization of his true goal; he became a devotee of Lord Sri Rama. And this poet-saint
showed thousands of people the way to a meaningful life.
Tulasidas
'Tulasi Ramayana' is a very famous and great epic of North India. It relates the story
of Sri Rama.
It was written by Goswami Tulasidas. (Goswami means one who has renounced the world
and has become a sanyasi, that is, an ascetic.) That is why it was popularly known as
Tulasi Ramayana.
Tulasidas gave it the title,
'Ramacharitamanasa'.
Valmiki, the first poet, told the story of Sri Rama in his 'Ramayana'; after him
hundreds of poets have retold it in their own way. 'Tulasi Ramayana' is one of the most
popular and venerated Ramayanas.
Many poets of our country were saints. They were great scholars as well as great
devotees. They lived as rishis. Goswami Tulasidas too was a great scholar well versed
in Vedic lore, philosophy and mythology. People say that Tulasidas, by virtue of his
perfect devotion, was so fortunate as to meet Anjaneya, the renowned servant of Sri
Rama. It is said Anjaneya helped him to see with his own eyes Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
Tulasidas declared: 'Bhakti is the only way leading to God's grace. Sri Rama is the
Supreme God (Parabrahma). He is the ideal man. And he is the Lord of this world. His
words and deeds themselves form the code of human conduct in this world.'
In his 'Ramayana' Tulasidas has narrated the story of Sri Rama; he has also taught the
principles of right living through different characters. The lessons taught in that work
are valid to this day.
The epic gives beautiful pictures of the right relation between father and children,
and of the affection among brothers. It also shows how the husband and the wife,
mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, should conduct themselves. Tulasidas describes the
affection of a teacher for his disciples and the respect of the disciples for their
teacher. But his poem is not just a moral Piece. Tulasidas has narrated the story of Sri
Rama in a moving and delightful way. As we read it we feel as if we see Rama, Seetha and
Lakshmana before our very eyes.
The Age Of Tulasidas
Goswami Tulasidas was born at the close of the 15th century and lived upto the
beginning of the 17th century.
It was a bad period for the Hindus. They had lost their freedom and had to struggle hard
to maintain their unity. All their scriptures were in Sanskrit; so many people found
them difficult to understand.
As the Hindus had no freedom, it was difficult for them even to attempt to expound the
ideas of their religion.Women and also some groups among the Hindus did not have
equality.
This state of affairs made gifted and liberal-minded poets unhappy.
Sri Ramananda was a disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya, the founder of the
Srivaishnava faith. He and his disciples lived in North India. He opened the doors of
'Bhakti' (devotion) to all and brought hope into the lives of the masses.
It was at this time that Sri Ramananda spread the cult of Rama Bhakti by preaching that
Rama is the protector of all people. Saint Kabirdas extolled the greatness of 'Rama -
the formless God' saying that Ram and Rahim were not different. Thus he tried to bring
about unity among the Hindus and the Muslims.
Sri Tulasidas set before the people the image of Sri Rama as all virtuous, all powerful,
the Lord of the World, and the very embodiment of the Supreme Reality (Parabrahma). He
gave them the light of 'Bhakti' and thus dispelled the darkness of fear from their
minds. Sri Rama shone as an ideal man and the protector.
Opinions differ regarding the exact date and place of birth of Sri Tulasidas. The
majority of scholars hold that Sri Tulasidas was born in Rajapur of Uttar Pradesh in
the year 1544 of the Vikrama Era (that is, 1488 A. D.). Some scholars say that he was
born in 1532 A. D. Others mention different other dates also.
Forsaken By His Own Father
Atmaram Dube of Rajapur was a great scholar in Vedic literature and astrology. His wife
was Hulasibai. They were happy in every way but had no children. They worshipped
Anjaneya and,prayed to him with devotion to bless them with a son. One auspicious day
Hulasibai gave birth to a beautiful baby son.
The newborn babe started saying 'Ram, Ram' instead of crying. So it was given the
name Rama Bola (one who said Ram). So goes a story.
Tularam was a baby of a few days when he lost his mother. His father also forsook him.
People give many reasons for this. Here is one story. Pandit Dube cast the horoscope of
his son. All the planets were favorable. But the child's star? The star was 'Moola'. The
father thought, 'This is a bad star. It will bring me bad luck. I must go away.
Otherwise I am doomed.'
He left the town once and for all. The unfortunate child was brought up by his old
grand-mother. Thus Tularam lost the love and the care of both the father and the mother.
He became the favorite of all his neighbors. They tended him, and played with him, gave
him something to eat and blessed him.
When Tularam was able to stand on his legs, he began to go round the town begging for
food. He lived on whatever he got.
In one of his songs Tulasidas recalls how exceedingly difficult it was for him, as a
boy, to get even four grains of gram.
After a few years his grandmother passed away. Then he became the child of the
whole town. The devotees gave him to eat whatever was offered to God and that was his
daily food. "The temple is my shelter. God is my father and mother," Tulasidas has said.
"Anjaneya is my father who fed and brought me up" says Tulasidas recollecting those
childhood days; he then actually lived in a temple of Anjaneya and every day partook of
the food offered to God there.
The Guru
Naraharidas was a reputed scholar, philosopher and storyteller (he gave discourses on mythological stories of devotion). Once he came to Rajapur. He stayed in the temple of Anjaneya. At the request of the people he began a series of discourses on the Ramayana.
Tularam was filled with pleasurable excitement. Discourses of this type, which blended music and literature, were a feast to him. He used to attend them every day without fail. Devotion to Rama lay like a seed in his heart; as he listened to the discourses, it began to sprout.
Every day the boy sat right in front of Naraharidas and listened to the' discourse with rapt attention. and also the boy joined the general Bhajan, singing melodiously. Naraharidas grew interested in the lad. He saw the boy's handsome looks, hisdelicate figure, large eyes and prominent forehead, and the bright radiant face. He recognized the mysterious power in the boy. He pitied him when be learnt that he was an orphan. One day he asked the boy. "Will you be my disciple?" Tularam touched his feet with reverence and burst into tears.
Naraharidas lifted him up and patted him on the back.
From that day Tularam became a disciple of Pandit Naraharidas. In one of his songs Tulasidas has said of this incident, 'I got for my Master God Parameswara Himself in human form.'
After his discourses in RajapurNaraharidas set out for another place. Tularam bowed to Lord Anjaneya and followed his master.
Wherever Naraharidas went Tularam went with him. His duty was to sing Ram Bhajan before and discourse began. He sang melodiously. The whole day was spent in studies. The master taught him various subjects like the Vedas, the Upanishads, philosophy, mythology and languages - Sanskrit and Prakrit. Bhajans were held at night. Thus they traveled far and wide for fourteen years and came to Soro in Uttar Pradesh. By that time Tularam had mastered all subjects. He was acquainted with the life of the people. He could sing much better than his master. He could not only give discourses on the Ramayana, but also compose poems. Naraharidas felt extremely happy at his disciples, accomplishments.
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